Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-20
THE WINE INTEREST.
The Grape.Gr0wers and Wine.
Makers in Convention.


Makers I'm Convention.
The following interesting proceedings
were held at the Grape Growers and
Wine. Makers Convention at San Fran.
cisco last week: At o'clock the conven.
ton was called to order by the President
of the association, =. w. Mcintyre, who
read lengthy and interesting address.
After welcoming the members of the
conv ention, Mr.. Mcintyre went on to
say that during the past year much good
had been accomplished. There was a
failure to secure rational legislation in
the interests Of pure wine, but that fail
ure would manifest to the country at
large that Justification of wine is re.1
sorted to, but that the wine-growers are
opposed to and denounce it. Regret
was expressed that there is no reliable
data as to the exact extent of the acre.
age in this State planted with vines.
Probably there were l50, 900 acres Of
vines in California.
Mr.. Mcintyre expressed a conviction
that in this State phylloxera is alarm
ingly on the increase, and every means
should be resorted to to eradicate this
pest.
Sulphuring Of vines against mildew
should be resorted to only when they
are young. # second sulphuriug is
necessary, the sulphur should be thrown
in the groundunder the vines. Attention
was called to the necessity of keeping
wine cellars sweet and clean. Sugges-
tions were thrown out as to the construc.
tion of wine vats and presses. The proper
care of rubber hose used in wine making
was referred to with the caution that if
the hose is not thoroughly cleansed great
mischief may be done in the process Of
fermentation The racking of wine was
dwelt upon and the statement made that
the racking should be much more fire.
quent than is now customary. In the
improvement of the wine product tie
first and most vital point is the selection
of the grape for planting; this wrong and
all is wrong, but, rightly begun, there is
no limit to the possibilities for the fnture
of wine making in California.
At the conclusion OF the Presidents
address Professor E. w. Hilgard said
that in California the spread of the
phylloxera can be SO easily prevented
that there is no excuse for the rapid and
widespread distribution of the pest. The
professor said that patting common gas
lime around the roots of the vines and
raking it into the soil is a simple remedy
that will completely prevent the under
ground spreading of the phylloxera.
Professor Hilgard did not apprehend
any danger to the vineyards of Contra
Costa and Alameda counties from the
phylloIera.infected vines on the Univer-
sity grounds.
M. NJ. Estee said that in his vineyard
of AIS acres the phylloxera has existed
for ten years. Six years ago he began to
dig out the infected vines and plant in
their stead resistant vines. He thought
that if the phylloxera can be killed out.
right SO much the better, but as a matter
OF business intelligence he thought that
the best thing is to plant resistants. He
has only lost five acres by the ravages of
the pest. He advised the use OF the
wild riparia as resistant.
II. M. La Rue stated that in his vine.
yard of ninety acres he had been obliged
to pull up fifteen acres of vines. He
has planted as resitants the wild riparia,
Californicas and Arizonicas. The Cali
ornicas seem to be fourishing and doing
best of all. A protracted discussion
then ensued as to the relative merits of
the various resistants, the outcome Of
which was that in selecting a resistant
particular attention was to be paid to
the quality of the soil in which the resist.
ant is to be planted.
C. A. Wetmore stated that he had as
yet failed to hear of any well authenti-
Gated case of the destruction of Cali
fornica by the phylloxera. A recess was
then taken until o'clock.
The convention resumed its session at
8 o'clock. A communication was re-
ceived from II. w. Crabb, expressing re.
gret at his inability to be present, and
submitting the following series of in
structions to be observed in the hand
ling Of young wines in the cellar:
Everything about the cellar should be
kept clean and sweet. The wine in tanks
should be filed up once a week. Young
wines in warm cellars should be racked
every two months, commencing with the
middle of December. White wines that
are cloudy at the time of the second
racking should be clarified with one
pound of gelatine, first sulphuring the
tank strongly. Rack them off the fin
ings in ten or twelve days. If, after four
days, any of the wines have not com.
menced to clear, rack them off and re.
peat the operation. Wines will ripen
faster in puncheons than in tanks. Dry
wines should contain twelve per cent. of
alcohol. Sauterne wines should contain
fourteen per cent. Of alcohol. Wines
that are viscid require tennin at classifi-
cation. Red wines need racking
as often as white and without
sulphur. When cloudy clarity them
with egg.albumen instead of gelatine,
using one pound to the one thousand
gallons. If any fail to clear in four
days. repeat the operation. When clear,
put those that are sweetish in puncheons.
Rack sweet fortified wines four times
the first year. They should contain
twenty per cent. of alcohol. Filtering
machines should only be used on wines
for immediate consumption. Pasteuriz-
ing is the best method of treating stub
born wines. Mousiness in red wine
comes from decomposition of the lees
by neglect of racking often enough.
Wines are unstable as long as they con.
tain any foreign matter, and the sooner
they are freed from it the better, and
the more certain and rapid will be the;:-
development. Every man, if possible,
should be his own cellar-man. Six.by.
six tanks are the most practical. shaped
cooperage for the handling of young
Wines"
M. NJ. Estee delivered an address on
grape.growing and making in Cali.
fornia. The address was an elaborate
and finished effort. The speaker said
that in his opinion there has been no
time when the Pacific Coast consumed
more than six or seven million gallons of
wine year. Hence. the home demand
is limited and market must be found
abroad. There are two objects in view
one to make good quality and the
other to find market for it. Wines to
ship East or to Europe should be first.